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| Jeremy Corbyn fights off court challenge over Labour leadership ballot | Jeremy Corbyn fights off court challenge over Labour leadership ballot |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Jeremy Corbyn has fought off a court challenge that tried to force him to collect signatures from MPs to stay on the leadership ballot. | Jeremy Corbyn has fought off a court challenge that tried to force him to collect signatures from MPs to stay on the leadership ballot. |
| The high court ruled on Thursday that there was no basis to challenge the decision of the national executive committee (NEC) that the incumbent leader automatically goes forward as a candidate if he is challenged. | The high court ruled on Thursday that there was no basis to challenge the decision of the national executive committee (NEC) that the incumbent leader automatically goes forward as a candidate if he is challenged. |
| The case had been brought by Michael Foster, a former parliamentary candidate and party donor, whose counsel argued that Corbyn should be forced to collect the names of 51 MPs and MEPs in order to stand. | The case had been brought by Michael Foster, a former parliamentary candidate and party donor, whose counsel argued that Corbyn should be forced to collect the names of 51 MPs and MEPs in order to stand. |
| The ruling means the contest proceeds as a straight fight between Corbyn, who is the favourite, and Owen Smith, who has the backing of much of the parliamentary party. | The ruling means the contest proceeds as a straight fight between Corbyn, who is the favourite, and Owen Smith, who has the backing of much of the parliamentary party. |
| Corbyn, who was not in court, welcomed the decision, denouncing the case as “a waste of time and resources when our party should have been holding the government to account”. | Corbyn, who was not in court, welcomed the decision, denouncing the case as “a waste of time and resources when our party should have been holding the government to account”. |
| He added: “There should have been no question of the right of half a million Labour party members to choose their own leader being overturned. If anything, the aim should be to expand the number of voters in this election. I hope all candidates and supporters will reject any attempt to prolong this process, and that we can now proceed with the election in a comradely and respectful manner.” | |
| A ruling against Corbyn would have plunged the party even further into civil war and left MPs with a difficult decision about whether to nominate him to give the membership a choice, even though 172 have said they do not have confidence in the current leadership. | A ruling against Corbyn would have plunged the party even further into civil war and left MPs with a difficult decision about whether to nominate him to give the membership a choice, even though 172 have said they do not have confidence in the current leadership. |
| Mr Justice Foskett made a brief statement in the high court saying Foster had lost his challenge and the decision of the NEC to allow Corbyn on to the leadership ballot without getting the required number of MPs’ nominations was “correct in law”. | |
| A fuller written judgment, still only two and a half pages of A4, said that the “natural impression” of a Labour member of the party rules was that without a leadership vacancy, an incumbent did not need the nominations. | |
| He wrote: “Accordingly, the judge accepted that the decision of the NEC was correct and that Mr Corbyn was entitled to be a candidate in the forthcoming election without the need for nominations.” | |
| The ruling added: “The judge emphasised that the court’s decision was a narrow point of law and was wholly unaffected by political considerations.” | |
| After the three legal teams thanked the judge, Foster’s lawyer began a long discussion with the judge on the issue of costs. | |
| Foster told the Guardian his legal team had told the court they did not plan to appeal the ruling. “We wanted the courts to adjudicate. They have,” he said. | |
| Iain McNicol, general secretary of the Labour party, said: “We are delighted that the court has upheld the authority and decision of the national executive committee of the Labour party. We will continue with the leadership election as agreed by the NEC.” |